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Archaeological Dig

Fibrostory part 3

Meet Fibromyallosaurus (pronounced Fibro My Al Lo Saw Russ)

Meet Fibromyallosaurus

(Pronounced

Fibro My Al Lo Saw Russ)

1904

A paper describing and coining the term fibrositis (inflammation of the fibrous tissues) was written by Sir William Gowers.

 

1930

American researchers finally joined the international effort to understand FM.

 

1953

Dr. Jon Bonica published “The Management of Pain”.

 

1968

Dr. Eugene Traut of the University of Illinois described Fibrositis.  Many of the best characteristics still apply to Fibromyalgia such as, generalized aching and stiffness, aching all over, fatigue, headaches, colitis, poor sleep, and tender points on physical examination.  Thank goodness some of the worst do not, such as being “worry worts”.  Traut is credited with initiating the focus on the systemic features of Fibrositis (Fibromyalgia). [4]

1972

Dr. Hugh Smythe laid the foundation for the modern definition of fibromyalgia by describing widespread pain and tender points.  Several of the tender points established by Dr. Smythe were used in the 1990 ACR criteria.

 

1975

A link between deprival of Stage 4 sleep and the development of specific, symmetrical tender points was established by Dr. Harvey Moldofsky, MD.

 

 1976

The term Fibromyalgia is first used by Dr. P. K. Hench.  Hench felt Fibromyalgia was more accurate as the term, is a combination of Latin and Greek roots.  Fibro (Latin) means fibrous tissue, mio or myo (Greek) means muscle, and algia (Greek) means pain.  Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles and fibrous tissues of the body while Fibrositis, means an inflammation or swelling of the tissues.  There was no evidence of inflammation or swelling involved in Fibromyalgia. [5]

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1981

Dr. M. B. Yunus publishes the scientific research paper, “Primary Fibromyalgia”, which was the first controlled clinical study to validate known Fibromyalgia-like symptoms and tender points.  [6]

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1987

The American Medical Association recognized Fibromyalgia as a real physical condition.  [7]

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